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ARCHIVED - Making games fun for... A Spectator?

When ever we see these MLG tournaments take place, some people cant really watch the game being played because, the way that the professional players work makes the game look totally foreign to the spectators view... That is not all by the way.
Have you ever sat down with at a friends house or sat with a family member and watched them play a game? Most of the time, you may get bored and rather be playing the game than spectating it. When it comes down to design, the developers literally NEVER take into account "how can we make this game fun for a spectator?"
You just do not do that. Sports like Baseball or Football are fun for the spectator for many obvious reasons. It is more of an experience than it is watching a few pixels duke it out on screen. But that is a whole other subject.
There may be some games that are fun to watch; like Battlefield 3, or maybe even the Uncharted series. They have a quality that can excite a viewer based on their ability to project an experience beyond the player. Battlefield can excite somebody from its random chaotic events that occur every game. It gives off a feeling of creativity when you watch a player C4 his jet and crash it into a tank.
The Uncharted series being heavily story based and cinematic; allows a viewer to feel like he/she is also a part of the experience and feel what is being portrayed thanks to: intense setpieces, well rounded characters, atmosphere, and a feeling of discovery... A game like Heavy Rain also has this quality because it is more of an interactive film than a game. A spectator in that area can very easily get involved just like the player. They can help make choices, feel emotions just like the person with the controller.
Those things work because they have an accidental ability to transcend beyond satisfying the player. Like I said before, no developer takes the spectator into consideration, because, they want YOU behind the helm.
What do you think can quality a game to be fun to watch rather than play? What games already have that trait? Do you think there is a possibility of more of this happening in the future?

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] JamesLongstreet
I tend to enjoy watching a game more if it's one I don't regularly play. If it's a game I'm more familiar with I tend to get annoyed when they don't do things the way I'd do them.[/quote]"NOOO! You're not doing it right!!!"
OT: The spectating thing just varies by person; some people would prefer to play, others to watch.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] YodasCurd
MLG Events are fun to watch. Except for Starcraft and LoL. I have no idea what is going on there...[/quote]You have to have played those two to really understand what's going on, there's a lot of metagame and unit / champion roles and interactions and such that a new observer can't intuitively pick up.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] YodasCurd
MLG Events are fun to watch. Except for Starcraft and LoL. I have no idea what is going on there...[/quote]
sc2 is very fun to watch if you are a sc2 player. probably the same with LoL as well.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] Please wait
Perhaps you've never watched League of Legends.
Riot has purposefully built the spectator mode so that it is always focusing on the action, you get to watch the players you want to at any given time, you can change the viewing options to be as complex or as simple as you want, etc.
[/quote]Not to mention the user interface is very clear, and you can easily see what items players are building. I almost wish you could take a peek at their Masteries / Rune Pages, but I suppose that's what LoL King is for.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] JohnyRL
Horror games are REALLY fun to watch.
As are games like Uncharted, Heavy Rain, The Walking dead and other cinematic experiences.
Games like Halo, COD and battlefield... Not so much.
Not sure how to change that. [/quote]They would have to find a way to make the viewer feel more involved in the game itself. Battlefield sorta does this with its loads of possibilities of play style and creativity. It is fun to watch players troll others with C4 or anything else. CoD and Halo are the top of the chain of what it means to satisfy the player alone.
Heck even Far Cry 3 can be a joy with its vast world and amazing characters. Also when you randomly get attack my a Croc. AMAZING!!!
[Edited on 12.05.2012 2:32 PM PST]

Horror games are REALLY fun to watch.
As are games like Uncharted, Heavy Rain, The Walking dead and other cinematic experiences.
Games like Halo, COD and battlefield... Not so much.
Not sure how to change that.

Perhaps you've never watched League of Legends.
Riot has purposefully built the spectator mode so that it is always focusing on the action, you get to watch the players you want to at any given time, you can change the viewing options to be as complex or as simple as you want, etc.

[quote][b]Posted by:[/b] JamesLongstreet
I tend to enjoy watching a game more if it's one I don't regularly play. If it's a game I'm more familiar with I tend to get annoyed when they don't do things the way I'd do them.[/quote]Me too! We get that feeling in our minds when something big comes up. We quickly analyze the situations and provide OUT OWN outcome, and when the player does not do it and fails--we go "aw come on! My way would have worked!"

I don't think there is any certain feature that makes people want to spectate it. I have a friend who mostly prefers watching games instead of playing them, Morrowind, Silent Hill 2, Fallout 3, Final Fantasy VII-X, GTA.
Well, I think good atmosphere and story are something that keep it interesting.

I think horror games have a unique ability to be interesting for spectators.
I used to watch my brother play Resident Evil and Silent Hill.
The horror elements were good, but the puzzle elements were also interesting.

I don't think it depends on the game as much as it does the person. Some people enjoy watching others play, some people don't. I used to love watching my dad play games when I was younger, anything from Baulder's Gate to Madden to Front Mission. Nowadays I watch a lot of Let's Plays to learn new strategies. On the other hand, many people get bored watching others play as THEY aren't in control, and games are tailored more towards bring played than being watched.
[Edited on 12.05.2012 1:50 PM PST]